Introduction
The human leg is composed of various structures such as bones, mucles, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. Each has its own vital role in supporting the body and assisting with movement.
Bones provide the scaffolding of the lower limb and work together at joints to allow a range of motions.
Muscles are the force which moves the bones. They "pull" on bones to elicit a movement in the limb.
Ligaments attach bones together to create a joint. It is at these joints where locomotion occurs.
Nerves relay information from the central and peripheral nervous systems to the muscles, as well providing sensation to the skin. They act as the control centre to create a response.
The major blood vessels in the body are arteries and veins. Arteries transport oxygenated blood to muscles, whereas veins carry deoxygenated blood away from muscles.
Because of the complex nature of all these systems integrating together there are many injuries, diseases and disorders which can occur in the legs. These have varying severities, causes and symptoms. A few of these will be explained in the pages that follow.